A Code of Ethics for Muslim Men and Women

This book contains the fatawa of eight Maraja’ Taqlid, Four of whom have passed away, namely: Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Riza al-Gulpaygani, and Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘Ali al-Araki, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Taqi Behjat,. The other four Maraja’, who are presently living, May Allah protect them all, include:  Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Nasir Makarim Shirazi, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid ‘Ali al-Husaini as-Seestani, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Mirza Jawad Tabrizi, Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Fazil Lankarani.

The actual reference from the Arabic and Farsi texts of the various Maraja’ Taqlid in this book have been omitted. As for the rulings for each of the Maraja’ we have used symbols, which will be mentioned at the end of this section, for brevity. In the event that one or more of the Maraja’ have not been mentioned in any ruling, this means that we were not able to get a hold of his rulings in that matter.

The main ruling which is given is in accordance tot he rulings of Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini, and in the event of any difference between his rulings and those of the other Maraja’, the opinions of those who differ will follow the original ruling. If there is no difference between the rulings, then we will only mention (with their appropriate symbols), those Maraja’ who share the same opinion.

Since the views of eight of the Maraja’ Taqlid of the Shi’a World have been mentioned, in case the Marja’ to whom one is doing taqlid to expresses an Ihtiyat Wajib, with ease the reader is able to refer one of the Maraja’ who have expressed a ruling (perform Ruju’).

Although we have referred to all of the printed books detailing the various laws of Islam from each of the Maraja’, but just to be completely satisfied that what we have compiled is correct, we had three of the major scholars who work in the offices of each of the Maraja’ look over our work.

For ease of reading, it is possible that the rulings we have included in this book, which we may put forth as a “Rule”, may have been posed to the office of the Marja’ in the form of a question, or vice-versa.

The abbreviations for the Maraja’ Taqlid are as follows:

A - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh ‘Ali al-Araki

B - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Taqi al-Behjat

G - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Muhammad Riza al-Gulpaygani

K - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid Ruhullah al-Musawi al-Khomeini

L - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Muhammad Fazil al-Lankarani

M - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Nasir Makarim al-Shirazi

S - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj as-Sayyid ‘Ali al-Husaini as-Seestani

T - Ayatullah al-Udhma al-Hajj ash-Shaykh Mirza Jawad al-Tabrizi